We are fortunate in that the H1N1 “;swine flu”; pandemic has so far been less severe in our islands than in many other areas of the world. Rather than breathe a sigh of relief and drop our guard, however, we should seize this opportunity to increase prevention efforts.

Influenza is highly unpredictable. Even though the immediate threat of a serious H1N1 strain circulating around the globe has diminished, we should still do all we can to fight the flu. And the most effective step is getting vaccinated.

Now that sufficient doses of H1N1 vaccine are available, all our residents can receive this potentially life-saving injection or nasal spray. To learn more, contact your health care provider, call 211 or visit the state Department of Health flu Web site at www.flu.hawaii.gov.

When looking back at the challenges posed by the H1N1 pandemic, Hawaii residents can take pride in what we accomplished together.

It was gratifying to witness the sense of ohana as people respected medical advisories and allowed our most vulnerable men, women and children to receive the vaccine first. The professional health care community also deserves special recognition for doing its part to vaccinate as many people as possible.

Public health workers and their partners in the private sector built on past collaborations by once again coming together to protect our communities.

A perfect example was the school-based H1N1 vaccination program, which helped one of the highest-priority groups—our keiki. Because schools have hosted flu clinics for the past three years, we quickly adapted this system to deliver both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines to children.

Working closely with our federal partners, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are keeping the public informed every step of the way. These efforts include:

» Aloha United Way's 211 phone number, which anyone can call with questions about influenza.

» The new DOH Web site, which has the latest updates on vaccine availability and tips on protecting against flu.

» The new DOH Twitter page (twitter.com/HIGov_health), which also expands information outreach.

Moving forward, the state will continue working with its partners to protect our people from influenza and other threats. Public health is a shared kuleana, and we must always keep it in sharp focus.

Chiyome Leinaala Fukino, M.D., is director of the state Department of Health.